I'd love to recruit First Watch to Minnesota. It's a breakfast and lunch cafe I've been to in Florida and Kansas. They use a ton of fresh fruit, from kiwi-strawberry crepes to fresh-squeezed orange juice, and servers bring a pot of coffee directly to your table. What's not to love? 

As far as fast food goes, it would be good to see a Fazoli's italian restaurant chain pop up here. (Who doesn't like all-you-can-eat breadsticks?) or a Sonic Drive-in so I could swing by and grab a cherry-limeade and a corn dog. Yum.

I also think Chipotle or Panera Bread could do well in Prior Lake.

But that's just my two cents.

I can vow for Chipotle and Panera Bread.

My family lives in a small Minnesota town (population: 2,500), and whenever they visit me in Minneapolis, they usually want to make a trip to Chipotle. They sometimes make special requests for me to pick up a burrito and chips and guacamole when I'm going home for a weekend.

Panera Bread is one of my favorite chain restaurants. Their chicken salad sandwiches are supurb. I can't often pass up the French onion soup, either. And if you like pastries, I think you'll find that Panera Bread can more than accomodate you. Try the short bread cookies.

Ruth Anne has a point. You will likely find more diverse, interesting food at a non-chain restaurant. For those who find chains comfortable, consider being an adventure-seeker once and try a new restaurant.

My husband and I have a growing list of restaurants we want to visit. Our criteria are simple: 1.) it can't be part of a chain and 2.) it has to be a restaurant that we've never been to.

Each week, we try to mark one eatery off of our list. This weekend, we went to Mickey's Diner in St. Paul. We also broke a rule and returned to the Loring Pasta Bar in Dinkytown. We made the exception because we had never dined there together.

I would love to see a Noodles and Co. or a Panera Bread for lunch options.

I'm still crying for a Thai restaurant in Prior Lake.

My sister and my daughter and I went for vacation about five years ago. We were in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. We visited temples, went spelunking, rode elephants, toured villages, shopped and ate and ate and ate.

We also took a cooking class at the Four Seasons resort we stayed in at Chiang Mai (my sister works for Four Seasons Hotels and I used to be her travel companion till she went and got married!)

Plus, Francis Ford Coppola was there at the same time and we had dinner at his table one night -- after he and his party vacated it!

A trendy place like the Sample Room, which Ruth Anne recommended, might be in order. I'm a fan of Spanish tapas bars, too.